Dear Jido,
I’m a small store owner. My two uncles love to come and help me out at the store. When I first opened, about ten years ago, they had both just retired, neither had grandchildren, and both were full of great ideas and energy.
Fast forward, they both have several grandchildren, are a decade older, have a lot less energy, and no longer offer any constructive ideas. At this point, it is more of a hesed on my part to have them in the store. And even though they are no longer beneficial to have around, and I do not rely on them for anything, I do pay them a very modest salary.
However, they have now started using my store as an escape. They arrive in the middle of the day, waltz in and out as they please, chat with my employees, and then proceed to chat with each other.
I wouldn’t mind so much if they needed to use my space as a safe haven – but they get in the way of the customers’ shopping experience.
How can I get that message across with the utmost of kindness?
Signed,
Overstaffed
Dear Overstaffed,
Here’s something to think about. Maybe when they first came to you, young(er) and full of energy, they felt that they were really contributing to your growth and success. Over time, as you indicate, you adopted some of their ideas and obviously gave those responsibilities to others. They might feel right now that they have no role to play, but since they like the atmosphere and know all of the customers, they just come by to shmooze.
Idea – why not GIVE them something to do? Certainly not any menial tasks. Maybe give your store manager a two-week paid vacation and ask them to fill in for him. Let them feel productive. And if they’re good at it, let them continue in whatever role makes sense. If they don’t step up to the plate, then you can have a heart-to-heart talk with them and say, “Dearest Uncles, I don’t mind if you want to come by one or two days a week just to hang out but I really can’t afford to keep paying you like this. What do you think?”
What do you think?
Jido